CBT - Cognitive Behaviour Therapy
How can CBT help me?
Cognitive Behaviour Therapy (CBT)
Cognitive Behaviour Therapy (CBT) helps people recognise and change unhelpful thoughts and behaviours. It’s an evidence-based treatment for anxiety, depression, stress, and relationship difficulties. Carla Swan is a BABCP-accredited CBT psychotherapist and relationship counsellor in Milton Keynes, offering structured, compassionate therapy to help you develop practical coping tools and lasting emotional wellbeing.
I am an Oxford trained accredited CBT psychotherapist. Cognitive Behaviour Therapy (CBT) is a form of counselling used and recommended throughout the NHS. It has been shown to be an effective treatment option.
CBT therapists work with you to understand how you think about yourself, the world and other people. We also encourage you to understand how what you do affects your thoughts and feelings. As understanding develops a CBT counsellor aims to work with you to consider ways to modify your thinking (the “Cognitive” aspect) and your actions (the “Behavioural” aspect).
Making such changes can help you to feel better about yourself and the world around you. Research shows Cognitive Behavioural Therapy - CBT, is highly effective for a range of issues including:
- Agoraphobia
- Anxiety
- Assertiveness
- Confidence Building
- Depression
- Low self-esteem
- Obsessive compulsive disorder
- Panic attacks
- Post traumatic stress disorder (PTSD)
- Social Anxiety Disorder
- Social phobia
- Stress
CBT is particularly effective for those facing negative thinking and feelings, particularly where patterns of negative behaviours are repeated time and again.
CBT can help you to manage what seem to be overwhelming challenges by breaking them down into smaller steps. It focuses on the current problems and how to improve things now.
When working through the CBT process the counsellor will tend to ask you to think about a particular situation and the thoughts and feelings that are associated with this. What are your physical symptoms and your reactions or behaviours?
By learning to think about how such a situation makes you feel and react you can then begin to make strategies to recognise the triggers that lead to the unwanted behaviours and ways to manage them effectively.
CBT: Frequently Asked Questions
What is Cognitive Behavioural Therapy (CBT)?
CBT is a talking therapy that helps you notice links between thoughts, feelings and actions, and learn practical ways to change unhelpful patterns.
What problems can CBT help with?
Evidence supports CBT for anxiety disorders (including panic, phobias, OCD), depression, health anxiety, PTSD and more. It’s also used for long-term condition coping.
How does CBT work in practice?
You and your therapist set goals, break problems into manageable parts, test out new ways of thinking and behaving, and review what works between sessions (“homework”).
How many CBT sessions will I need?
CBT is structured and time-limited. Many courses are short (about 6–20 sessions), though length varies by problem and progress.
What happens in a typical CBT session?
Sessions have an agreed agenda, check-in on mood and homework, introduce tools (e.g., thought records, exposure, behaviour activation), and plan tasks to practise before the next session.
Are there side effects or risks?
CBT is generally safe. Some people feel temporarily more anxious when facing feared situations or difficult thoughts, but this usually eases as skills build.
Is CBT available online or in groups?
Yes. CBT can be delivered one-to-one, in groups, or digitally (guided self-help and online programmes) depending on your needs and local services.
How can I access CBT on the NHS?
You can self-refer to NHS Talking Therapies (England) or speak to your GP for a referral. Private therapists should be appropriately trained and accredited.
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